Well I didn't want to get into it, but he's a Satanist.
Every full moon he sacrifices 4 puppies to the Dark Lord and smears their blood on his paino.
This should help you understand the score for Wicked a little bit more.
Tazber's: Reply to
Is Stephen Schwartz a Practicing Christian
Kad, that was my first thought. What's most disheartening about Brown adapting this material is that a man is the one working to tell what is such an important female story. He said multiple times around the time of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY that he and Marsha Norman were already talking about another collaboration, so I wouldn't be surprised if she's involved as well.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Granted, the screenplay for the film was written by two men. But that was over two decades ago- and let's face it, when it comes to female characters, I don't think JRB is exactly the most sensitive or nuanced.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
I'm suprised at some of your reactions. Yeah bridges didn't do well box office wise but the music is amazing. One of his best scores imo. I have to admit this new adaptation seems strange.
You all are acting as if Jason spearheaded this idea and assembled a creative team - you know that's not really how it works, right? He was undoubtedly approached by people with money, who asked him to join a team that they are assembling to make this show. That's what professional composers do - they write music for money.
I also think him jumping into another movie adaptation feels odd here. It's starting to feel almost soulless to me. Like he's movie musical adaptation machine. That said, I think we're unfairly judging him because of some of his earlier original work. I always wonder how many original shows these guys have in them.
I do think out of Vegas, Bridges and League of their own, League has the most commercial broad feel to it. It was a very successful film at the time and it's on cable all the time. I don't remember the last time I stumbled across Vegas or Bridges on TV. Those stories didn't warrant the adaptation in my mind. That said, the music in Bridges was amazing. Just didn't work as a show for me.
"I second the notion that no one cares about a baseball musical."
That's why Damn Yankees is never produced and relegated to the scrap heap of musical theatre history."
No, I didn't forget about Damn Yankees, (nor the nonmusical Take Me Out) DY has a good score (excepting the baseball songs) but as far as I can see, it's been revived on Broadway exactly once. and the Encores production was quickly ruled out as a possible transfer.
I'll modify my prediction only to eliminate the hyperbole and say that not enough will be interested to make this a hit, not because of JRB but because of the source material.
What I don't understand about a lot of the musical adaptations of movies is why they thought those movies would work on stage. Regardless of the quality of the finished product, I don't know how they start with The Bridges of Madison County or Catch Me If You Can or Finding Neverland and thinks musical. It's not just about finding a story that will translate well on stage with music but presumably trying to appeal to movie fans who don't typically go to see Broadway shows. Wouldn't you be better served to choose a movie where characters bursting into song would feel more natural? I had no desire to see Sister Act but that at least makes sense to me as a property you'd adapt.
"Norbert Leo Butz for Jimmy Dugan or what are we even doing here"
My original reason for coming into this thread was to say how I wish anyone else was writing this, but if NLB plays Jimmy...I might just be willing to give it a chance. That would be perfect.
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I normally get a little groan-y when I hear about movies being made into musicals, but this movie, in JRBs hands, sign me up! and don't even get me started about the potential cast this would have.
I have long been excited at the prospect of a stage version of A League of Their Own, Jason Robert Brown composing it takes the wind out of the sails for me,., you can reassured that it will be over composed, entirely too self aware, have four good ballads and absolutely close in a hurry.
I adore this film but I just don't see it adapting to stage in general, nor to a musical specifically. I don't care who's writing it, it just doesn't seem to have legs.
And Damn Yankees isn't done nearly as much as you might think. In my 20+ years as a high school director, I've known of exactly ONE production of this in my county. (I don't claim to be aware of every production, but am pretty aware of what goes on around me.)
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.